Table for the use of chiropractors



July 6,1926. I 15913551 A. L. DANIEL TABLE FOR THE USE OF CHIROPRACTORS Filed May 10, 192: 4 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

DANIEL TABLE FOR THE USE OF CHIROPRACTOI RS Filed May 10, 1923 4,Sheets--$heet 2 July 6,1926. 1,591,551

A. L. DANIEL TABLE FOR THE USE OF CHIROPRACTORS Filed May 10, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORZ- July 6 ,1925. 1,591,551 A. L. DANIEL TABLE FCR THE USE OF CHIROPRACTORS Filed May 10, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. v

Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIE LEE DANIEL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO ARTHUR G. BUSH, 0F

DAVENPORT, IOWA.

TABLE FOR THE USE OF CIIIROPRACTOBS.

Application filed May 10, 1923. Serial No. 638,071.

My invention relates to improvements in adjusting tables for chiropractors in which springs are used to counter-balance the weight of the patient while the table is being adjusted.

The objects of my invention are V 1. To provide a table of simple construction in which the tension upon the springs increases as the bed of the table is adjusted into the horizontal position and decreases as the bed of the table is raised from the hori-' zontal to the upright position.

2. To provide improved means for increasing the tension upon the springs dun ing adjustment from the upright to the hori-.

zontal position and relaxing the tension upon the springs as the bed of the table is returned to the upright position.

3. To provide means by which the weight of the patient upon the upper part of the table bed is partly counterbalanced by an upward movement of the lower section of the table bed when the table is being moved from its upright position to a horizontal one and vice versa.

4. To provide improved means for adjusting the intermediate support of a chiropractic table and for locking same in any desired position.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of the foot section of my chiropractic table showing the frame broken away where it extends towards the head section of the table; Fig. 2 is a detail showing a front view of the rear or foot toggle levers; Fig. 3 is a side eleration of the foot section of my table; l ig. t is a detail showing a side elevation of parts of the foot section and Fig. 5 is a detail showing a front elevation of parts of the foot section; Fig. 6 is a plan view of thevhead section showing the fixed and movable frames broken away and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the head section of the table showing the fixed and movable frames similarly broken away; Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail showing the front elevation of parts of the head section and Fig. 9 is an end view of Fig. 7.

As the apparatus is too complex to admit ciear illustration on a small scale, I have made the drawings on a larger scale than the size of the paper would permit if the entire table were shown in a slngle drawing.

Figures 1 and 6 should be read as if the left end of Figure 1 were united to the right end of Figure 6 and Figures 3 and 7 should be read as if the left -end of Figure were united to the right end of Figure The base or fixed frame of my table com-' prises a large tube, 1, the front end of which is secured to a foot 27 The foot, 27 has a rearwardly extending portion which extends into the tube, 1 and is secured thereto by a bolt, 75 At the rear or foot of the table, the tube, 1, extends into a heavy base plate, 2, and is secured thereto by the bolt, 75. of the base plate 2, is provided with rollers, 72, mounted thereon to facilitate moving the table. The base plate, 2, is preferably a heavy plate of cast iron or steel to give stability to the table.

The movable frame consists of a tubular portion, 1 the front end of which is secured to a yoke, 27, the yoke, 27, being provided with a rearwardly extending portion which is engaged and secured in place within the tube by the bolt, 74

The head portion of the movable frame, 1 when in a horizontal position, lies close to, but directly above, the tube, 1. The rear portion of the tube, 1 is curved upwardly as is shown in Figure 3, with a double curve and is secured firmly in a seat formed in the lower face of the bar, 34, by bolts, 74.

The rear end of the bar, 34, is fulcrumed upon a shaft, 37, which also forms a fulcrum for the links, 53, and the side bars, 55.

I have omitted from all of these draw-- ings the bed of the table and the cushions as they are similar on many diiferent types of tables and no special claim is made for any particular form of cushion nor for the particular methods of attaching the cushions to the bed of the table.

In my table, the side bars, 55, form a support for the cushions at the foot of the table and are provided with brackets, 76, near their front ends, in which rods, 59, are slidingly mounted and these rods in turn carry brackets, 69, to which the foot section of The extreme end the table, with cushions attached may be secured. The elevation of the front end of the side bars, 55, may be adjusted by means of the racks, 61, which are secured at their upper ends to the side bars, 55, by the shaft, 57, and the notches of which engage detent, 6 1. The handle bar, 62, is secured in suitable openings in the rack, 61, and extends out laterally on one side to form a handle by which the racks, 61, can be swung into and out of engagement with the detent, Gd.

The brackets, 76, have their front ends secured together by a cross bar, 58, and are pivoted upon the shaft, 57. At the rear end of one of the brackets, 76, a downwardly extending portion, 63, is provided with a rack which can be locked into position by the locking lever, 60, one end of which is pivoted to a lug united to the side bar, 55, and the opposite end of which forms a handle by which same can be manually operated. Toggle levers, 418 and 419, pivoted together by the shaft or pivot, 50, are fulcrumed ree ectively in the base plate, 2, upon the shaft, 51, and to a shaft, 37, extending through the links, 53, and side bars, 55, so as to fold forward as shown in Figure 4, when the table is put into its upright position.

Toggle levers, 45 and 4.6, pivoted together at the middle by a shaft 81, have their lower ends secured to an upwardly exten ing projection on the base plate, 2, by a bolt or shaft, 82, and the upper ends of the upper toggle members, 45, are secured to the bar, 3 1, by the shaft or pivot, 80.

The lower toggle levers, 16, are provided with openings, 79, into which the lower end of coiled springs, -11, are secured and the upper ends of the springs, ell, are secured upon hooks, 78, formed integral with the bar, 34-.

An additional coiled spring, 40, has one end secured to the hook, 77, which is united to the bar, 3 1, and its opposite end hooked around a bar, 47, which seats in notches formed in the edges of the lovers,

hen the table is in the upright position as shown in Figure &, the tension is relaxed upon the coiled springs, 40 and 41, but when the front or head end of the table is drawn downward and the table is locked in its horizontal position as shown in Figure 7 the tension upon the springs, 1O and ll, is increased by the intermediate portions of the toggle levers, 15 and 46, being forced forward, thus exerting tension upon the coiled springs.

When the table is being lowered from its upright position shown in Figure 4, to the horizontal position shown in Figures 3 and 7, the links, 53, limit the movement of the movable section of the table toward the head of the base or movable section and the foot end of the movable section is thereby forced upward as shownin Figure 3. The links, 36, have their lower ends pivoted to the base by a shaft or rod, 2, and their upper ends are secured to a bar or shaft, 35, which acts as a fulcrum for the movable frame comprising the tube, 1", and the bar, 34:.

The relative length and arrangement of the links, and 53, and of the toggle levers, and 19, is such that the shaft, 37, is at all times held approximately over the shaft, 51, although there will be a slight longitudinal movement of this part of the movable frame.

A step, 3, is rigidly united to the links, 53, and when the table is in its upright position, this step is approximately parallel with the floor and rests close to the floor, but when the movable section of the table is adjusted to its horizontal position, the step, 3, rises and stands at an angle as shown in Figure 3.

A latch, 19, is provided, fulcrumed upon a suitable bearing mounted in the front end of the fixed frame, 1, and its attachments. This latch engages a lug, 21, formed upon the yoke, 27, which is secured to the head end of the movable frame and secures the table in horizontal position when so placer. lVhen the latch, 19, is released, the springs, 11 and 10, exert pressure upon the toggle levers, 4:5 and 16, and operate to elevate the front end of the table and bring it into an upright position shown in Figure For clearness of illustration, I have omitted the pipe or tube, 1*, from Figure 4.

The supporting and adjusting devices for the head and intermediate cushions, are secured to the head end. of the movable frame. They are mounted upon brackets, 16, which in turn are slidingly mounted upon the rods, 18. The upper portions of the brackets, 16, are curved inwardly. A tilting support, 15, for the head cushions, is fulcrumed upon a rod or pivot seated in the brackets, 16, and its upper end has secured thereto one end of a rack bar, 89, the lower end of which rides upon the shaft, 11. The upper edge of the rack bar, 89, is provided with notches engaged by a detent, 12, which is in the form of a loop, 12, and is secured to a shaft, 11, mounted in the brackets, 16, with a handle, 11, projecting out to one side by which the loop, 12 may be disengaged from the notches in the rack bar, 89.

A coiled tension spring, 8, has one end hooked over the shaft, 841, and its opposite end secured to the extended end of one side of the loop, 12, exerting a tension upon the loop, 12, so as to hold it in engagement with the notches in the rack bar, 89, except when held out of engagement by the handle, 11. Both branches of the loop, 12, are secured brackets, 16.

in the shaft, 11. A pin or key, 13, passes through the shaft, 11, and one branch of the loop, 12, to secure same in place.

The cushion for the abdominal support is carried upon a bar, 30, which in turn is carried by a shaft, 32, securedto the rear ends of levers, 28, the front ends of vhich are fulerumed upon a shaft, 84, mounted in the Adjustable brace levers, have their front ends fulcrumed upon a shaft, 85, mounted in the front legs of the brackets, 16, and their rear ends are slotted and the slots engage a shaft, 10, secured to the middle portion of the levers, 28. One end of the shaft, 10, is threaded to receive the head of the crank, and the head of the crank, 10, is correspondingly threaded so that it may be turned upon the shaft, 10, and one of the levers, 85, thereby locked in a given position by the pressure of the head of the crank, 10, upon the slotted portion of the lever, 29.

Coiled tension springs, 9, have one end secured to a bar, 86, which seats in notches in the lower edge of the levers, 29, and its upper end is hooked over or upon the bar or shaft, 84..

When desired to increase the tension upon the abdominal support, the bar, 86, is seated in the notches farthest from the front end of the levers, 29, and when it desiredto reduce the tension, the bar, 86, is seated in the notches nearer the front. As pressure is exerted upon the abdominal support frame, 30, downwardly, it is obvious that it ill move the levers, 29, downwardly when not locked and thus throw a strain upon the tension spring, 9, which will vary according to the notches in which the bar, 86, is placed. \Vhen desired, the abdominal support can be locked at any given position by the handle 10 In the operation of my table, the table is placed in the upright position shown in Figure (the head end of the frame and head cushion supports being omitted from this view, and the patient steps upon the foot board or step, 3, and inclines his body forward against the cushions of the table.

The front or head end of the table is then pushed downward manually until the movable frame is in the horizontal position shown in Figures 3 and 7, the elevation and angle of the various cushion sections being previously adjusted by the operator to fit the particular case.

hen the frame, P, has reached its horizontal position, the latch, 19, engages the lug, 21, and the table is locked in its horizontal posit-ion. If desired, any further adjustments of the relative position of the various cushions may then be made and the patient operated, upon in the usual way.

hen desired to remove the patient from the table, the latch, 19, is disengaged fromthe lug, 21, and the operator seizes the hendie, 17, at the front end of the table and applies an upward pull thereto, if necessary, to raise the table to the upright position, or if the weight of the patient is insuilicient to overcome the tension of the springs, and 4:1, the operator can apply suficientdownward pressure to the handle, 17, to prevent the table being raised too suddenly by the springs, 40 and ll. The handle, 17, is an ordinary handle bar secured to a forward extension of the brackets, 16 and may be in any desired form.

In the operation of my table, it is obvious that the spring pressure necessary to counter-balance the weight of the body in the upright position, will be less than it is as the table is lowered toward the horizontal position. In other words, the pull of the springs, fl) and 41, progressively increases as the table is lowered to a horizontal position in. order to counter-balance the increased effect of the weight of the patient upon the movable section. My arrangement, of toggle levers, and -16, and the attachmentof the springs, 10 and 41, thereto, are such as to exert an increasing tension upon-v the springs, 10' and 4-1, as the table is lowered to a horizontal position and thus tends to progressively counter-balance the weight of the patient at all stages.

In Figure l, I have shown the foot section of the movable frame in an upright position, but not at the extreme height of its lift. \Vhen at its extreme height, the toggle levers, 4:8, and 49, would be folded close together and would lie within an opening in the base plate, 2, which opening is shown in Figure 1.

It is obvious that my arrangements of springs and levers will allow the operator to change the position of the patient with very little exertion upon the operators part and the mechanical application of force necessary to raise the lower end of the foot section of the movable frame as shown in Figure 3, operates to assist in balancing the weight of the patient upon the upper or head section of the movable frame.

I claim v 1. An adjusting table for chiropractors comprising a fixed base, a movable frame secured above the fixed base, toggle levers uniting the lower or foot ends of the fixed base and movable frame, and cross links having their lower ends pivoted to the movable frame so proportioned that the movement of the movable frame upon the pivots of the links in one direction will elevate the foot of the movable frame andin the other direction vill lower the foot end of the movable frame.

2. In an adjusting table for chiropractors, the combination of a fixed base, a movable frame above the fixed base, to e levers uniting the lower Or foot ends of th e flxed base n" AIR) and movable frame, cross links having their lower ends pivoted to the fixed base and their upper ends pivoted to the movable frame so proportioned that the movement of the movable frame upon the pivots of the links in one direction will elevate the foot of the movable frame and in the other direction will lower the foot end of the movable frame, toggle levers pivotally secured to the fixed base and movable frame between the pivotal attachment of the links thereto, and tension springs having one end secured to the latter toggle levers and the opposite end secured to the movable frame.

3. In an adjusting table for chiropractors, the combination of a fixed base, a movable frame above the fixed base, toggle levers uniting the lower or foot ends of the fixed base and movable frame, cross links having their lower ends pivoted to the fixed base and their upper ends pivoted to the movable frame so proportioned that the movement of the movable frame upon the pivots of the links in one direction will elevate the foot of the movable frame and in the other direction will lower the foot end of the movable frame, toggle levers pivotally secured to the fixed base and movable frame between the pivotal attachment of the links thereto, adapted to fold forward, and tension springs having one end secured to the latter toggle levers and their opposite end secured to the movable frame substantially at the foot thereof.

4:. In an adjusting table for chiropractors, the combination of a fixed base, a movable frame above the fixed base, toggle levers uniting the lower or foot ends of the fixed base and movable frame, cross links having their lower ends pivoted to the fixed base and their upper ends pivoted to the movable frame so proportioned that the movement of the movable frame upon the pivots of the links in one direction will elevate the foot of the movable frame and in the other direction will lower the foot end of the movable frame, and means for applying a progressively increasing upward pressure upon the movable frame as it is lowered from its upright to its horizontal position.

5. In an adjusting table for chiropractors, the combination of a fixed base, a movable frame above the fixed base, toggle levers uniting the foot ends of the fixed base and movable frame, cross links having their lower ends pivoted to the fixed base and their upper ends pivoted to the movable frame so proportioned that the movement. of the movable frame upon the pivots of the links in one direction will elevate the foot of the movable frame and in the other dircction will lower the foot end of the movable frame, toggle levers pivotally secured to the fixed base and movable frame between the pivotal attachment of the links thereto, tension springs having one end secured to the latter toggle levers and their opposite end secured to the movable frame, and a latch pivotally mounted upon the fixed base adapted to engage a corresponding lug united to the movable frame.

6. In an adjusting table for chiropractors, the con'ibination of a fixed base, a movable frame above the fixed base, toggle levers uniting the lower or foot ends of the fixed base and movable frame, cross links having their lower ends pivoted to the movable frame so proportioned that the movement of the movable frame upon the pivots of the links in one direction will elevate the foot of the movable frame and in the other direction will lower the foot end of the movable frame and head and foot cushion supports mounted upon the movable frame.

7. An adjusting table for chiropractors comprising a fixed base, a movable frame secured above the fixed base, toggle levers unit-- ing the lower or foot ends of the fixed base and movable frame, cross links having their lower ends pivoted to the movable frame so proportioned that the movement of the movable frame upon the pivots of the links in one direction will elevate the foot of the movable frame and in the other direction will lower the foot end of the movable frame, and a plurality of cushioned supports mounted upon the movable frame.

8. In an adjusting table for chiropractors, the combination of a fixed base, a movable frame above the fixed base, toggle levers uniting' the lower or foot ends of the fixed ase and movable frame, cross links having their lower ends pivoted to the movable frame so proportioned that the movement of the movable frame upon the pivots of the links in one direction will elevate the foot of the movable frame and in the other direction will lower the foot end of the movable frame, head and foot cushion frames mounted upon the movable frame, an adjustable abdominal cushion frame mounted upon one end of supporting levers fulcrumed in brackets secured to the movable frame at the head thereof, and adjustable brace levers having one end fulcrumed in the brackets and their opposite end bearing upwardly against the supporting levers.

9. In an adjusting table for chiropractors, the combination of a fixed base, a movable frame above the fixed base, toggle levers uniting the lower or foot ends of the fixed base and movable frame, cross links having their lower ends pivoted to the movable frame so proportioned that the movement of the movable frame upon the pivots of the links in one direction will elevate the foot of the movable frame and in the other direction will lower the foot end of the movable frame, head and foot cushion frames mounted upon the movable frame, an adjustable having one end fulcrumed in the brackets and their opposite end carrying a frame for an abdominal cushion, a pair of brace levers having one end fulcrumed in the brackets and their opposite end bearing against a rod secured to the supporting levers intermediate the ends thereof, and tension springs having one end secured to a fixed attachment secured to the rackets and their opposite end secured to a rod adapted to seat in notches formed in the brace levers intermediate the ends thereof and adapted to require the brace levers to exert an upward pressure against the supporting levers.

11. In a chiropractic table, the combina tion with a movable frame, of brackets secured thereto, a pair of supporting levers having one end fulcrumed in the brackets and their opposite end carrying a frame for an abdominal cushion, a pair of brace levers having one end fulcrumed in the brackets and their opposite end bearing against a rod secured to the supporting levers intermediate the ends thereof, tension springs having one end secured to lined attachment secured to the brackets and their opposite end secured to a rod adapted to seat in notches formed the brace levers intermediate the ends thereof and adapted to require the brace levers to exert an upward pressure against the supporting levers, and means for locking the brace and supporting levers in a fixed relative position,

12. In a chiropractic table, the combination with a movable frame, of brackets mounted thereon, supporting levers having one end fulcruined in the brackets and their opposite end fitted with a frame adapted to carry a cushion and extending rearivardly from the bracket, a cross bar connecting the supporting levers near the middle thereof, and brace levers having one end fulcrumed in the bracket and the opposite end provided with slots embracing the cross bar and adapted to allow the cross bar to slide therein.

13. In a chiropractic table, the combination with a movable frame, of brackets mounted thereon, supporting levers having one end fulcrumed in the brackets and their opposite end fitted With a frame adapted to carry a cushion and extending rearwardly from the bracket, a cross bar connecting the supporting levers near the middle thereof, brace levers having one end fulcrumed in the bracket and the opposite end provided with slots embracing the cross bar and adapt ed'to allow the cross bar to slide therein, and means for exerting an elastic tension upwardly upon the brace levers.

14. In a chiropractic table, the combination With a movable frame, of brackets mounted thereon, supporting levers having one end fulcrumed in the brackets and their opposite end fitted With a frame adapted to carry a cushion and extending rearwardly from the bracket, a cross bar connecting the supporting levers near the middle thereof,

brace levers having one end fulcrumed in the bracket and the opposite end provided With slots embracing the cross bar and adapted to allow the cross bar to slide therein, and means for exerting a variable pressure upwardly against the supporting levers.

In testimony whereof he afiixes his sig-- nature.

ARCHIE LEE DANIEL. 

